


On Assignment

by SpaciousPalm



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Angst, Canon, F/F, Identity Reveal, SuperCorp, beginning of relationship, canon until reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-05-19 15:05:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14876051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaciousPalm/pseuds/SpaciousPalm
Summary: Lena half laughs in confusion. None of this is making any sense.“So she’ll be gone like a week or something?” James looks at Lena and slowly shakes his head, no. He realizes that Lena won’t fully understand the gravity of Kara leaving. She’ll be devastated.ORThe missing scene in 2x21 “Not Kansas” where Lena finds out Kara is leaving and confronts her about it. Follows canon, until this scene.Kara/Lena aren’t together yet but are at the beginning of understanding that their feelings are deeper.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We basically haven’t gotten any Kara/Lena scenes at all. I wanted to elaborate on Lena finding out Kara is leaving. Supercorp all the way. James is just a catalyst to bring the news to Lena. NO GUARDIANCORP. 
> 
> Think of Kara and Lena’s feelings like that of Korra and Asami in Season3.
> 
> This will be a couple chapters long.

Alex watches Kara. Watches the way her eyes bounce all over the apartment. Kara can’t keep still. She bounces her knee up and down on the sofa. It’s final. Kara will be leaving for Argo City tomorrow. 

They sit in Kara’s apartment just soaking it all in. Kara’s mother is alive. Argo is standing. Maybe earth won’t be Kara’s home base any more. The two sisters have been curled up on the couch for hours reliving Kara’s recent journey. Both with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes. Alex knows this is what Kara needs. It doesn't mean it won’t be difficult to say goodbye but at least they understand each other. 

Kara looks around her apartment. She looks at all the pictures that adorne her walls and tables. Her friends, her chosen family. She doesn’t know when she’ll be seeing this all again. Her life has completely flipped in the matter of a day. She thinks about Alex and what it means leaving her behind. Not being there for J’onn as his father slowly slips away. Not being there for Lena who...and Kara lets out a gasp, “What am I going to tell Lena?”

Kara looks aghast as she spins to face Alex. She hasn’t considered the fact that she’ll have to leave Catco. She’ll have to leave her job. She’ll have to lie to Lena, again. Alex leans her head to the side and asks the question that’s been weighing her down since Kara unloaded all of this on her, “I don’t know. How long will you be gone?”

There’s a long pause that fills with guilt. “I don’t know.” They look at each other in understanding. Alex nods and looks out the window.

“What about the Truth?”

“No.” Kara’s response is quick and to the point. “I can’t. Especially if I’m not here to protect her,” Kara puts her forehead into her hands and folds in half. She lets out the biggest groan and pushes her sweater sleeves up. 

“I can’t tell her. It will put her in danger and I won’t be here to grab her and fly her away to safety. Who knows what could happen to her. She could get thrown into a jail that slowly fills with water and I won’t be there to stop it.”

Alex shudders at the memory of being locked up in that cell and looks over at Kara in pity. “I’m sorry Kara. I’m sorry that you have to hide to keep others safe. I know you’ve wanted to tell Lena for some time now.” 

Kara just watches Alex in silent frustration. She furrows her brow. She hates lying to Lena. It’s gotten increasingly harder ever since Lena joined up with the DEO. Alex’s face lights up with an idea. “Oh, maybe a work thing.”

Kara squints her eyes, questioning, “A work thing?”

“Yeah don’t reporters go away to... report. Like all over the world?”

Kara shrugs, “They can, yeah,” she tucks further into herself, “but I’ve barely been at Catco recently. Would anyone believe it?” 

Alex throws her shoulders up, “I don’t know.” She sips at her scotch in her tumblr. They look at each other, both wincing in thought. Alex slams back the last bit of scotch and puts the glass down on the coffee table. “Well, I’m shit out of ideas. I think a reporter assignment is your best bet.”

“You only had one idea!”

“And it was the best idea.” She winks and leans forward to grab the bottle to pour herself another finger. She pats Kara’s knee as the hero looks at her in dismay. Kara lays her head on the back of the couch and closes her eyes. She’s getting emotional and feels an enormous guilty weight settle over her, “I guess an assignment will have to do. I’ll call James. He’ll help me come up with something.”

\-----

James is sitting on the side of his desk looking out the wide window. He holds his phone to his ear and clears his throat, “I understand. No problem.”

Lena Luthor walks into the Catco office cell phone in hand. She moves the hair that fell in front of her face out of the way and tucks it behind her ear as she looks up at James and smiles. James glances over at the woman in the blue coat with her hair down and gives a short wave in greeting. “Hey Lena.” She nods back at him in response.

He clears his throat, “Yeah I’ll tell her hi and... we’ll work it out Kara.” Lena’s eyes snap up to James as she perches on the edge of one of the sofas in his office. “I’ll see you and we’ll figure it out. You too. Bye.” James pulls the phone from his ear and hangs up the call. 

Lena leans forward and asks, “Kara?”

“Uh, ahem. Yeah, that was Kara.” James puts his hands in his pockets and stands up crossing over to Lena looking somber. He doesn’t explain further. Lena is left to guess what the two were talking about. By the look on James face it can’t be anything good.

Lena leans back on her perch to maintain eye contact with James. She takes in his demeanor and quirks an eyebrow. “What’s going on?”

James looks back at his desk and scratches behind his ear. He fumbles with his words trying to manage this predicament. “She’s a...a she just got an assignment.”

Lena’s other eyebrow pops up and a big smile forms on the woman’s face. “Oh, fun she hasn’t had a big story in awhile. She’s seemed a little out of sorts. This will be perfect for her. Hitting National City’s streets again. I should get her something to celebrate. She seems so...stressed. Oh this will be perfect, maybe I’ll order her a cake.” She immediately goes to work on her phone.

“It’s in Poland.” James all but yells, wincing at how bluntly that came out. 

Lena’s hands freeze. She slowly looks up at James, “What?”

“Yeah, uh. She’s going to Poland.” Lena looks at him in utter confusion. The words James spoke not processing quite right in Lena’s brain. 

“Poland.” She looks skeptical. “When?” She crosses her arms and stands to meet James in stature.

James fumbles, “I’m not sure…very soo-”

“How long?”

James puts his hands up in a shrug, “I don’t know.” He pauses for a long time and becomes morose, “probably a very long time.”

Lena half laughs in confusion. None of this is making any sense. Why Poland? Why now? Lena purses her lips together and nods her head. 

“So she’ll be gone like a week or something?” James looks at Lena and slowly shakes his head, no. He realizes that Lena won’t fully understand the gravity of Kara leaving. She’ll be devastated.

“No Lena,” he offers her a sympathetic glance, “months...maybe longer.” James tries to figure out the wording. It’s unfair to Lena to pretend that Kara might be back. They’re all upset about Kara’s upcoming absence. Lena has the right to know the severity of the situation. James just doesn’t know what to say. 

“Lena, she might be leaving National City after this.” Lena stays frozen. Her chin quivers but no words come. She crosses her arms as her eyes squeeze shut. She looks away from James to blink the mist away that’s forming in her eyes. She can’t hear James speaking anymore. Words get stuck in her throat as she tries to rationalize her reaction. She’s affected. Why does she feel like the ground is falling away. She starts to breathe heavy so she places her hands on her stomach over her skirt, which feels all of a sudden too tight. 

“There’s no time frame here, she might be getting a permanent position elsewhere. Kara will have to...woah where are you going?” Lena turns on her heal and starts to bolt from the room. She’s unlocking her phone as she grabs her purse.

“To talk to my friend,” she gasps out.

“Lena,” but she can’t hear James anymore as she races through the Catco office. The frantic pace doesn’t match the few stragglers left in the office, who look up at the CEO as she rushes by. She makes it to the elevator and smashes the button as she dials Kara’s number. “Pick up, pick up, pick up.” She checks her watch 10:30pm. She’s still up, Lena thinks to herself. 

“Hi this is Kara please leave a message.” 

“Shit.” She punches the elevator button again. She looks down and sees water drops on her phone. She looks to the ceiling and wipes her tears away from her face. “Why on earth did I make this elevator public again,” she mumbles to herself. She opens up her phone favorites again and taps Kara’s face. “Poland? What in god’s name. Pick up.”

“Hi this is Kara please leave a message.” 

“Dammit.”

\-----

Kara looks over to her phone laying on the arm of the couch. She sees a photo pop up of Lena and herself smiling together. A selfie taken on Lena’s second day at Catco. The first day they truly worked together as friends. She smiles and then quickly realizes it’s of course Lena’s contact photo. Her eyes go impossibly wide. 

“Oh no. She’s calling.” Alex looks over at her sister who just sprang up from the couch.

“Who? Lena?”

Kara paces her living room looking at Lena’s face on her phone screen. “Yes. She was with James at the office. What if James told her about the assignment. What do I say?” Kara looks more panicked than Alex has seen in awhile.

“I don’t know.” 

Luckily the phone call ends and Kara sighs in relief. Thankfully she can collect her thoughts before she has to speak to Lena. Her phone vibrates a second later and she sees that same selfie from Catco.

“Oh Rao. She’s calling again.”

Alex smiles at her flustered sister, “Kara you’re hopeless. Did you not think it through that you’ll actually have to tell Lena about your assignment?”  
Kara looks at the photo on her phone as it blinks and disappears. 

“I just feel like I can’t lie to her anymore. The past few weeks I’ve felt this wall go up between us. I can’t remember the last time her and I just existed next to each other, you know? And I know it’s because of this secret.” She feels the tears start to bubble up again. “She feels it too,” Kara nods to herself and rubs her brow, “I know she does and what’s worse is she doesn’t even know why it’s happening. It...we feel so strained.”

“Well, then unstrain it.”

“I’m trying.”

Alex pulls Kara back onto the couch and wraps an arm around her. She kisses the top of the blonde’s head and rubs her upper arm. “You know,” she begins, “she probably just misses her friend. She adores you, even though you’re a bumbling mess. She doesn’t need you to be anyone else but you.”

“Yeah,” Kara says sadly into Alex’s side. Alex and Kara go quiet for just a minute. Kara decides to check in on Lena. She calms her breathing down and closes her eyes. 

She picks up on Lena’s heartbeat. It’s rapid. That’s worrisome. She zones her hearing back a bit. She’s driving. She’s winding down the west side of the city and towards…

“Oh Rao she’s coming.”

“What?” Alex says startled by the outburst.

“She’s coming here.” She untangles herself from Alex. 

“Now?”

“Yes now?” Kara pushes Alex off the couch. “Go!”

“Alright jeeze I’m going. I’m going” Alex walks to the kitchen and puts her glass in the sink and the bottle away. She walks over to the coat rack and starts putting on her jacket. She hears Kara mumble something.

“What Kara?”

She turns around to see Kara looking so dejected and miserable, standing in the middle of her apartment. The Kryptonian looks so small.

“What...what do I say?”

Alex walks back over to Kara, holds her cheeks and smushes them. “Remember she just wants Kara. Just be Kara, be yourself that’s all that matters. When all is said and done, Lena just needs her best friend.”

“Yeah. Ok,” she gets out through her squished cheeks.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Good luck.” She smiles as she turns and goes out the front door. 

The apartment is all of a sudden too quiet.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might try to write more Kara/Lena scenes that happen throughout the rest of Season 3. 
> 
> I felt the last two episodes still left out some crucial Supercorp moments.
> 
> For now this will be all for this specific scene that is set in 2x21.

Kara hears the heels. Listens as they click into the entryway downstairs. As they go into the stairwell and start to climb. Each step sounding larger and echoing in Kara’s head. She hears Lena reach her floor. Both women’s heartbeats race. Kara walks over to her front door waiting for Lena to knock. 

The footsteps stop right outside her door. Kara waits. She doesn’t want to rush opening the door. She doesn’t want Lena to know she’s been waiting for her, tracking her every move for the past fifteen minutes. Except there’s no knock. 

Both women stand on either side of the door, just breathing. Kara pulls her glasses down. She sees Lena. Sees her wipe underneath her eyes. She’s been crying. Even in disarray the woman is flawless. Her coat hugging her. Her lipstick done perfectly. 

Lena glances up into Kara’s line of sight. Kara feels goosebumps all of a sudden. For a second she worries that Lena could see her too. See the way her eyes are red and irritated after crying on and off for the past couple of hours with Alex. 

Lena raises her hand to knock. She hesitates before gently knocking on Kara’s door. Kara slips her glasses back over her eyes and rubs her sweaty palms on her jeans. She takes a breath and opens the door. 

“Hi Le-” Kara gets enveloped in a whirlwind of a hug. Lena drops her purse as she holds tighter to Kara’s back and her head. Kara’s face is smashed into Lena’s ear and neck, but she still smiles. 

Kara can’t remember the last bone crushing hug the two shared. They needed this. Both of them needed a physical connection to put them at ease. 

“Poland, Kara? Poland?” Lena asks into her side.

“Poland?” Kara questions bewilderedly.

“Why in God’s name is your assignment in Poland?” Lena’s words become slightly rushed as she pulls back from Kara and enters into the apartment. Kara lets out a slight “Oh” as she realizes James must have come up with Poland. 

“When are you leaving? What’s happening in Poland? When will you be back?”

Kara tries to hear each question but they’re rattled off in rapid fire. Kara follows Lena to the couch as Lena sits down on the edge of the seat.

“Lena, hey Lena. Slow down.” Kara stays standing facing Lena seeing the rigid way she sits clutching her hands. Lena won’t meet her eyes. 

“You can’t go.”

It’s said with such finality that it takes Kara’s breath away. The room stands still.

“What,” she gasps.

“I don’t want you to go.” Lena finally looks up into Kara’s eyes. Her green eyes pop because her skin is puffy and red. Kara hates seeing this powerful CEO sitting on her couch looking so diminished.

“I know you haven’t had a big assignment like this in awhile. I honestly am so proud of you, but you’re one of my only friends here. If you go…” her words cut off as she looks for the reasoning behind her thoughts, “this is embarrassing but, I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

Lena looks away again. Usually Lena holds Kara’s gaze when they’re talking, almost as if refusing to believe anything else deserves her attention. It kills Kara that she won’t look at her.

Kara completely understands where Lena is coming from. The thought of leaving Lena makes Kara feel hollow. Lena’s part of her family she’s created here on Earth that she is now leaving behind. She hangs her head in sadness and looks at Lena.

Kara has never seen her fidget this much. Knee bouncing. Fingers pulling. Looking out of Kara’s living room window she quietly asks, “How long?”

“Oh. Um I don’t know.” Kara runs her hands down her legs as she sits at the opposite end of the couch. “Months,” a huge pause before, “maybe years. I don’t have a real estimate.”

“Years?” Lena whispers as she turns her head to look at the blonde woman in shock. Kara doesn’t know what to say, so she offers a half smile and nods. 

The women sit in silence as they collect themselves. Since Lena’s entrance the room seemed to buzz with energy. Now there’s a dull ache. It feels empty, awkward.

“Alex will be sad.”

“Yeah, she is.”

Lena nods and tucks her hair behind her ear. Kara looks around the room trying to find a way to lighten the mood. Before she gets a chance Lena decides to just say what’s been on her mind.

“Everything has been off. We’ve been off. I feel it and I don’t know why and I don’t know how to fix it,” she blurts out. 

Lena finds her strength again and speaks with more clarity. “I know I’ve been busy with the DEO and Sam and that whole,” Lena gestures off, “mess going on. I know that. But I still have you. Well I should still have you… but the past couple weeks it feels…”

“Different?”

“Yes.” Lena sighs in relief hearing Kara agree with her. At least they both feel like they are on the same page. “When James told me you were leaving, everything around me stopped. I...I couldn’t stand the thought of you leaving without, I don’t know, seeing you? Resolving this divide. Just being with you?”

“I wouldn’t have left without seeing you. Without telling you. You know that.”

Lena just shrugs at Kara unknowingly. 

Kara blows out her breath, “The fact that you aren’t certain, breaks my heart, Lena. I would never abandon you like that.” Her sincerity crashes over Lena, calming her down immensely. 

The two women look at each other after a moment and let out a little laugh. A laugh in relief, that breaks the unknown. Both relieved that the other feels this strongly, that Kara leaving has a bigger impact then the two of them could have fathomed. A quiet sense of calm falls over the two.

Lena starts to shrug out of her coat. Immediately Kara stands and helps her out of it. A process that feels routine. A nonverbal transaction between two people who know each other like the back of their hand.

“When are you going?” Lena asks as Kara pulls the coat off her shoulders. She sits back down and watches as Kara walks over to the coat rack. Kara places Lena’s coat next to her greyish blue plaid coat and grins when she remembers Lena buying her that jacket. Insisting that Kara just had to have it because it brought out the blue in her eyes.

“I don’t know. I think tomorrow night.”

Kara turns back around and goes to fill up two glasses of water.

“Tomorrow night?”

“Yeah.”

Lena watches Kara move about her apartment. She notices the hesitant nature of Kara. Can feel Kara walking on eggshells around her. It’s driving Lena mad, the way they used to talk so freely to one another seems so far away. 

Kara starts walking over to Lena two water glasses in hand. She watches Lena watch her.

“Lena,” she stops. Kara can feel something change within her. A resolve. 

She sets the water down in front of the couch. “I’m going to miss you.” She locks eyes with Lena and shuffles backwards a couple steps. “I need you to know that.” Kara starts to fumble with her words. “ I...I feel like a big part of my life has been missing recently. I’ve been thinking about it and I think that big part is you.” 

Lena quirks her eyebrow but doesn’t dare say a word. Kara is obviously ready to unload on her. All she can do is catch everything Kara throws. 

“I’m sorry things have been so difficult. I’ve been distant. You’ve been at L-Corp more that usual. We don’t see each other everyday like before and I hate that. I hate how that’s normal now.”

“Kara it’s oka-”

“No it’s not. I’m leaving and there’s so much here unsaid.”

“We’ll figure it ou-”

“I’m Supergirl.”

Kara’s mouth shuts. Both women are frozen. Kara swears she didn’t breathe for one whole minute. Kara looks down at Lena with wide eyes. Not believing the words finally came out. Tumbled out. 

Lena stays frozen on the couch, her hands cradled in her lap. Her face remaining stoic. Eyes never straying from Kara’s. The only movement coming from her neck when she swallows. 

After minutes of stunned silence...

“You’re not going to Poland.”

“No I am not.” Kara doesn’t dare relax yet. She’s surprised at Lena’s first question. She must have more, Kara thought. Lena’s face still hasn’t shifted. 

Kara waits nervously to see if Lena will ask more. But the brunette remains motionless. Kara worries she broke her friend. After awhile Kara decides to start small and try to explain where she’s going instead of...Poland.

“The civilization we found on that meteor, when we were getting the black rock...well the harun-el, it’s a fragment of Krypton. My home, Argo city is there. My mother is alive.” 

At this Lena gives her first reaction since the word Supergirl fell from Kara’s lips. Her eyebrows rise and wrinkles appear on her forehead. She tilts her head to the side and one corner of her mouth lifts in the smallest smile.

“Your mother?” Lena quietly asks. Kara nods with a tearful smile. Without Kara’s powers she probably wouldn’t have been able to hear the small question. Kara decides to take a risk and sits back on the couch, closer to Lena this time. 

“She was there and I held her in my arms, I got to hug my mother again, Lena.” Hearing her own name breaks Lena out of her shock. She looks around Kara’s apartment. This seemingly small studio holds the city’s strongest woman. She sits up straight.

“Are you coming back?”

“I…”

“That meteor is a lot farther than Poland.”

“A couple light years farther,” Kara takes a big breath and really looks at the stoic woman. “Lena, are you ok with this?”

“No.” It was blunt and to the point. “But I’m losing you. I don’t have time to be…” the words trail away. A minute goes by, Kara worries that Lena’s brain got stuck again. Just as Kara’s about to shake Lena out of it...

“You know...I’m just thinking about all the times Supergirl and I...we…” She looks over at her best friend. Finally making eye contact again. The two women take each other in. Lena leans back a little to look Kara up and down. 

Kara, still with slight tears in her eyes, can only offer a lopsided smile. Kara picks her feet off the floor and tucks them under herself. She feels small and wants to be small. 

Lena grabs her glass of water and takes a sip. It’s then that Kara sees the tremor in Lena’s hands. The slight shake of a woman who is overwhelmed but trying to hide it. She sets the glass back down and wipes the condensation on her skirt. 

“So, tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow.”

Lena’s heart drops. She’ll be losing her best friend tomorrow. It’s too soon. There’s not enough time. There are so many questions.

“That soon?” Lena is definitely starting to tear up.

“Yeah.” Kara starts to cry with her. Both of them stare as silent tears begin to fall. Lena puts her head down and shakes it.

“Well, does Argo have wifi?” That tiny question beautifully cuts the tension. Kara throws her head back and laughs. A laugh bubbles up from Lena through her tears. She tries to furiously wipe them away as she sadly smiles.

“Alex asked the same thing.”

“So, I’m guessing no?”

“No.” Kara uses her sweater sleeves to wipe her tears. She watches Lena wipe her own face. Part of Lena’s mascara is smeared, so Kara leans over and uses her other sleeve, “come here.”

Kara gently holds Lena’s face as she uses the edge of her sleeve to wipe under her eye. Lena watches Kara’s face a fraction away from her own. 

Kara can’t get some of the makeup off with her sleeve so she uses her thumb to get the rest. She’s so thankful that Lena isn’t shying away from her touch.

She was panicked that Lena was going to walk out without trying to figure out this new curveball in their friendship. They make eye contact and Kara can hear and feel both their heartbeats. Leaving Lena behind is harder than Kara anticipated. 

Kara quickly blinks and breaks eye contact with Lena. She scoots away from her further down the couch. Lena blinks back to reality as she pushes her hair back with both hands. She grabs Kara’s hand before she can get far and takes the hair tie that’s on Kara’s wrist.

“May I?”

Kara nods her head as she watches Lena lightly hold her hand as she slips the band off. Lena grabs her hair and pulls it up into a neat ponytail, high on her head. Kara starts to worry as she sees the CEO come out in the woman. Whenever Lena starts feeling stressed or has a lot to think about, she always puts her hair up. 

“Wow, ok. I have so many questions,” Lena says as she furrows her brow. This new body language worries Kara.

“I have one. Are we still friends?”

Lena’s hand flies to grab Kara’s fiercely. With fire in her eyes she strongly states, “Always.”

She keeps Kara’s hand in her own and takes a breath, “I just need time to process.”

“Well, you’re in luck,” Kara rubs her thumb over the back of Lena’s hand. “You can have all the time you need.”

“I don’t want that much time. I want you here, well I want you on Earth. So the second I figure all this out in my head we can…”

“I just need you to know I’m sorry.” Kara starts to word vomit as her anguish pours out. “Just know that I am sorry for everything. I expect a full itemized list of everything I need to apologize for when I come back. But the most important one. I’m sorry I lied. You have no idea how sorry I am that I had to lie. Little white lies to huge, ginormous lies. I just need the people I love to be safe and you, Ms. Luthor, you are already a target.”

“I’m sorry too.”

“No Lena…”

“No I am, I could have been more reassuring to you, I could have listened to Supergirl about the kryptonite about why…”

“Lena”

Lena groans in frustration.

“We need more time.” Lena stands up fast and walks over to the windows looking out over Kara’s block. The fast back and forth has left them breathless. Lena stays quiet for a moment. Kara watches Lena’s back, can see how tense her shoulders are. 

She tries to sort out her thoughts that roll through her brain a mile a minute. Lena can feel a rollercoaster of emotions pumping through her body. She goes from furious, where she can’t even look at Kara, to devastated cause her best friend is leaving her behind, then back to happy because Kara has found her family and her life again. Lena turns around to look at the alien who seems sad but at the same time bright and passionate. 

Why can’t Lena fathom Kara’s departure. She’s had friends leave before. She’s left people behind. She’s the queen of jumping around, never staying put. The fact that she’s stayed in National City for almost two years is a feat in and of itself. 

“Kara, your mother.”

The kryptonian smiles. Lena now knows why Kara’s smile always seems to light up a room. She’s basically a sun god. Kara has this glow about her that Lena’s always known but now understands.

“I know.”

“Was she everything you needed her to be?” Lena asks hopefully.

“More.”

It’s the first time this evening since Lena found out about Kara’s departure that she feels happy. Kara beams at Lena and stands up to join her at the window. She puts an arm around Lena’s shoulders and side hugs her. 

“She was so beautiful….and brilliant, just like how I remember her. I felt like such a kid again. We talked about so much...but at the same time it wasn’t enough. There’s still so much left unsaid. That’s why I have to go back.”

Lena rests her head on Kara’s shoulder, still looking out the window at the city lights.

“I. Am. So, happy for you.” Lena pauses as a question forms in her head. The only important question. “What’s your name?”

 

Kara hums into her smile, so excited to finally share her true self with one of the most important people in her life. 

“Kara Zor-El.”

“Hmmmm,” Lena hums smiling. “Yeah.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Kara steps in between Lena and the window, blocking Lena’s view. She puts her hands on Lena’s shoulders. 

“I’m sorry it happened like this. This fast. You mean the world to me. Rao, when we were fighting, not being ‘friends’ with you broke my heart. I didn’t know how much you mean to me until that day at L-Corp when you told Supergi...me that we weren’t friends.”

Lena remembers this conversation clearly. It’s still hard to process that it was Kara. Now Lena realizes why Supergirl was so affected. Why Supergirl looked at her with tears in her eyes. At the time that reaction shocked her. 

Now in this light seeing Kara, knowing the regret Kara must have felt. No wonder Kara has been pulling away from her. The divide between the Luthor and Super was growing. Kara must have been devastated. Lena feels terrible that she didn't let the Kryptonian explain herself. She should have given Supergirl just a moment to explain. 

If Kara did something that Lena thought was odd or suspicious against her, she would have absolutely listened and tried to figure out why Kara acted the way she did. She didn’t even give the Super a chance. 

“I’m sorry.” Lena says, “Kryptonite must be horrible.”

“What’s worse is not having you as my friend.”

Kara’s face looks crestfallen.

Lena raises her hand and puts her index finger right on the crinkle between Kara’s brows and softly rubs that spot. Kara doesn’t know why the woman’s touch gives her such relief. All it takes is a bit of contact from Lena to completely flip the hero’s mood.

Kara glances at the smirk on Lena’s face. Her eyes linger on Lena’s lips. She doesn’t know why she feels a need to be closer to her but she scoots forward and envelops the woman in the tightest hug. Lena’s arm gets stuck up and between them. She pats Kara’s check with that hand, then just holds her face. 

“So this is what a hug feels like from Kara Zor-El, all the passion and love from Kara Danvers mixed with the strength and security of Supergirl.”

Kara never wants to let go. They hold each other for a long time. After several minutes, Lena slowly pulls back slightly, just enough to see all of Kara’s face. 

“It’s late.” 

Kara somberely nods. They rest their foreheads against one another. Both feel closer than they’ve ever been. At the same time though, they both feel the impending gap from Kara’s upcoming travels. A sense of relief washes over the two. Kara straightens up.

“Want a lift?”

Lena quirks her eyebrow and steps back. She crosses her arms. “I don’t know...do I?”

Kara again shows her mega watt smile. She tilts her head to the side, “yeah, you do.”

Lena smiles in surrender. “Ok, Supergirl.”

In the blink of an eye Supergirl is before her, striking her trademark pose while taking slow steps forward. She stops just shy of Lena. 

“Hi Kara.”

“Hi Lena.” 

Both of them take a second to get used to this.

“My coat and purs-”

In a flash Kara is back holding out the blue coat for Lena to put on. She helps her thread her arms through the jacket and hands Lena her bag. 

“Hold it tight.”

Lena all of a sudden realises she will actually be flying. She starts to panic, heart beating frantically, Kara whispers, “I’ve got you. Just bend your knees a bit for me.” 

Before Lena knows it Kara is holding her and they are slowly flying up and over the city. 

As they rise up through the sky Lena closes her eyes and breathes in the city. It’s beautiful up here. Even though Kara’s hold is so gentle, Lena’s never felt safer.

She sees that Kara is flying to Lena’s penthouse suite. It dawns on Lena that she left a couple of things at Catco due to leaving in such a hurry. 

She leans up to Kara’s ear and says, “Take me to Catco.”

“Ok.” 

\-----

James sits behind his desk looking over layouts for the next week. He stops as he feels a breeze come through the open windows. He looks up in time to see Lena strolling through his balcony door.

Utterly confused, he looks back at his main office door but before he can put his thoughts together, behind Lena, in walks Supergirl.

“Oh. Hello, Supergirl.” James says startled. 

Lena smirks and tilts her head back to look at James. “Kara,” she says simply.

James looks over at Kara in surprise, eyebrows raised. Kara simply shrugs her shoulders and looks back at Lena smiling.

“Sorry, I just assumed ‘Jimmy Olsen’ would know,” Lena says casually as she picks up some folders she left on the couch. 

“I did. Well I do,” James crosses his arms and gestures between the two women, “So you know now. You know about everything?”

Lena looks back at Kara and smiles, “yeah?”

Kara leans against the wall and takes in Lena, “yeah,” she says with a wistful smile.

“Alright take me home,” Lena states as she puts the folders in her purse. 

James clears his throat as he starts to collect his work. “Oh, yeah I’ll just grab my things…”

“No, ehm, I was actually talking to Kara,” Lena says looking over and pointing at a blushing Kara, who immediately looks away from James.

“Of course. Yeah, Kara. Can... fly... you…” both women have already waltzed out onto the balcony and flown away before James could blink.

\----

“Thanks for the lift.” Lena says as she regains her footing on the balcony and steps into her room, Kara following right behind.

“Anytime.”

“Not anytime.”

This gives Kara pause, “No, not anytime.” They stand in Lena’s bedroom both exhausted by the evening. Neither wanting Kara to leave.

Lena finally breaks the silence. “Will you be at Catco tomorrow?”

“Do you want me there?”

“Yes.” 

“Ok.”

Lena kicks off her stilettos and steps forward as she slowly wraps her arms around Kara’s neck. Their hug lasts minutes. Kara rests her head against Lena’s. 

Lena brings a hand up and starts to trace the symbol on Kara’s chest.

“Be hungry. There will be cake.”

“Mmm. I’m always hungry.”

Lena laughs and slightly pulls back from Kara’s chest.

“How many calories do you eat a day?”

“Roughly, ten-thousand.” 

Lena’s eyes go impossibly wide and one perfectly trimmed eyebrow goes up.

“And you flew...on a bus.”

Now it’s Kara’s turn to laugh as she remembers one of the first missteps she had in front of her best friend.

“Yeah.”

Lena’s face morphs away from being carefree. 

“Just come back.” Kara’s never heard Lena so serious. Kara squeezes Lena’s upper arms and rubs them. Why does Kara feel a sense of intimacy all of a sudden. Lena’s always been important, but now she seems like the world.

“Lena.”

“Even if it’s not for long. Come back... to me.”

Their eyes lock and neither breathe.

“I will.” A new emotion fills the room, Kara wants to run from the intensity of it, but decides she doesn’t want to keep any more secrets. “I feel different. We feel, this feels…”

“I feel it too.”

“You do?”

“I do.”

Lena’s hands run down Kara’s arms. She holds her hands. She touches each finger and palm and inspects them. Whatever this new point in their relationship is, neither will act upon it, not yet.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Lena whispers. Kara looks up from her hands and meets Lena’s eyes. Kara starts to tear up for what seems like the thousandth time that night. She blinks her emotions away and steps back from Lena. 

All of a sudden Kara is gone, leaving Lena alone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This idea popped into my head...we only got a glimpse of the Catco goodbye party...I wanted a little more.

Lena watches all the Catco employees help set up Kara’s goodbye party. The banner goes up, balloons are being blown, the cake company wheels in a massive sheet cake. Lena made sure to call the new assistant incredibly early so the party would be ready for Kara. 

In between work calls, Lena has been running around making sure everything is perfect. Lena hasn’t had time to think about anything remotely alien. 

Everytime her night with Kara pops up in her head she dismisses it. If she stops to think about any of it, she’ll shut down.

Lena raises her right arm to check her watch. It’s eleven forty-five. She texted Kara this morning and told her to be in the office right at noon. She breathes.

Her mind betrays her yet again as it slips into thoughts of Kara. 

Kara holding her in her arms as the evening ended. The way she told kara to ‘come back to her’. She swore for a brief moment she was going to...kiss Kara, but that can’t be right.

Grabbing a bottle of champagne, Lena high tails it to her private balcony. She all of a sudden just wants a drink and to be alone. 

For the first time that day Lena lets her mind really settle on Kara. Lena never knew she could wake up the happiest she’s ever been and at the same time feel like the world is ending. 

Lena makes it out onto her balcony and slides down the back wall till she’s on the floor, hiding from view. Avoiding Kara feels like the best way to handle her emotions. This has been her entire morning, feeling excited to see Kara again and then immediately petrified.

She leans her head against the concrete and looks up into the sky. She knows Kara will be entering Catco through the main doors and not her other mode of transportation. She’s safe back here alone, although she’s definitely ruining her dress.

\--

Kara closes her eyes as the elevator takes her up to her floor. She just got off the phone with James who called to tell her ‘enjoy the party at Catco and he’ll see her later at the DEO. She heard Winn shouting in the background and figured James is helping set up there.

The whole time she was on the phone with James, she felt guilty for some reason. Something didn’t sit right with her. An image of her intimate hug with Lena from last night pops up in her head. She smiles at the thought of Lena tracing the House of El symbol.

Kara was nervous about seeing her best friend today. All night she lay awake trying to decipher her interactions with Lena. The thought of Lena gives Kara goosebumps. She straightens her clothes, as she steps off the elevator. 

She walks into a bunch of cheers and smiling faces. 

Kara laughs grasping her chest in shock and takes in the whole image. She looks at all her coworkers and smiles at the grandiose nature of the party. Of course Lena would go above and beyond.

Lena.

Kara spins around confused, looking for those green eyes. People start hugging her and talking loudly. Music starts to play. Wading through the crowd, she turns and sees the new assistant perched at his desk.

“Excuse me…” The young man looks up as she reads his name plate, “Daniel.”

“Oh hello, Miss Danvers?” Kara nods, “Congratulations!”

“Thank you so much,” Kara smiles at his sincerity, “Have you seen Lena?”

The man looks around and scans Lena’s office, then the crowd of people who are grabbing pizza.

“That’s odd, I know I just saw her.”

Kara starts to worry, is she hurt? Is she gone? Did she not want to see Kara? She takes off her glasses and pretends to rub her eyes as she scans the whole Catco office. No Lena, she turns back to face the assistant. 

Before she puts her glasses back on, right behind the young man, through the walls, she sees Lena on the balcony floor.

“I’m just going to check her balcony.”

“Of course.”

Kara steps gently through the office and leans her head out of the balcony doorway.

Lena is sat legs straight out in front of her, shoes kicked off, shoulders slumped. She is holding a bottle of champagne that is dripping with condensation. 

Kara takes her in quietly, worried to break the CEO’s bubble. Kara can feel Lena’s worry, can sense and see the dejection written on her face. 

After a minute or two she gently knocks on the glass door.

Lena looks up slowly and squints from the sun.

“Hey Kara.”

“Hey Lena.”

“Did you get pizza?”

Kara looks down at the woman in confusion. She walks over to the wall and slides down to sit next to Lena.

“What are you doing out here?”

Lena doesn’t respond but holds up the bottle of champagne. 

“I grabbed this but I can’t get the cork out, it’s stuck.”

Kara watches Lena’s eyes. The turmoil is clearly written on Lena’s face. She looks at Lena’s hair and smiles. She loves when her hair is up like this. She looks down at Lena’s dress. It must be new, she doesn’t recognise it.

“Here. Watch this.” Kara grabs the bottle from Lena and holds it out. She squeezes and the cork flys off and bangs into the balcony wall. Lena smiles and looks at Kara.

“Neat-o.”

“Did you just say neat-o?”

Lena gives her a cheeky grin, “I did.”

She grabs the bottle of champagne from Kara and takes a long pull from it. She hands the bottle back and Kara takes a small sip. 

“Does alcohol affect you?”

“Nope, my metabolism is out of this world,” Kara laughs at her own pun while Lena gently chuckles. Lena glances over to Kara and sees a bit of red smudged on her upper lip. Her brows furrow.

“What, is there…” Kara asks in embarrassment as she touches her face.

Lena glances down at the champagne bottle and sees her lipstick all around the rim. She glances back up at Kara. 

“My lipstick.” She gestures to her own mouth. Kara looks down at the bottle in confusion and makes the connection. 

“Oh,” Kara laughs, “whoops.”

She starts wiping at her top lip. Lena tries to be a mirror for her. “Right here,” Lena gestures with her finger.

“Like this?” Kara is trying to find the spot.

“No, over...No Kara, I’m mirroring you,” she rolls her eyes as Kara finally gets the spot, “yes!”

“Oh ok, yeah,” Kara wipes the smeared bit or red from her lips.

They’re thankful for the odd yet mundane moment. It breaks the tension. Both were nervous about being near each other again. 

“We need glasses,” Kara mumbles.

At the word glasses, Lena stops and looks at Kara’s eyes. She reaches up and pulls Kara’s eyewear off. She looks over the pair with rapt attention. Trying to find something in every detail.

Lena glances to the side and raises an eyebrow in question at Kara.

“They help me, they’re lead lined to muffle my hearing. They also have a trace amount of lead in the lenses to block my x-ray vision.”

“How many fingers am I holding up,” Lena says as deadpanned as possible.

Kara bursts out laughing and snatches her glasses as Lena laughs with a huge smile. The women sit in this warmth for a while, taking swigs from the champagne. When Lena protests Kara drinking more, she defends herself.

“I like the bubbles.”

Lena pushes her shoes with her toes and rests one of her hands on Kara’s thigh and rubs it lightly. Goosebumps again shoot up Kara’s legs and up to her arms, she lays her hand on top of Lena’s and squeezes it lightly.

“Well we should probably go inside. Lots of people want to say bye to you,” Lena huffs out.

Kara glances back towards the door.

“Yeah,” she pauses and looks back at Lena, “but you’re the only one that matters.”

Lena holds Kara’s eyes. Another intense moment builds between the two. They are zeroed in on each other. She turns her hand to grab Kara’s.

“Darling, I did not spend, God knows how much money, on pizza and cake for it to go to waste.”

Kara blanches at the term of endearment. Lena’s used it on her multiple times. In fact she uses it for pretty much everybody. But somehow it’s like Kara’s heard it for the first time. It makes her mouth go dry. 

She coughs on her own spit as she tries to swallow. Kara reddens in embarrassment as she keeps coughing. Lena puts a hand on her shoulder and looks at her in concern.

“Woah.”

“I’m good, I’m good.” Kara smiles through the tears that formed from the coughing. 

“Alright big shot. Let’s send you off properly.”

“As you wish, Lena.”

Kara stands and wipes her pants a bit. She glances over at Lena who holds her hand up, asking for help. Kara holds Lena’s hand and gently pulls, guinding Lena to her feet. Once standing, Lena grabs Kara’s shoulder as she shuffles into her shoes.

“Look, I’m taller than you now.” 

Kara glances down to the four inch heels Lena’s wearing.

“I do not know how you walk in those.”

“Talent.” Lena winks and starts towards the office, leaving the bottle of champagne on her balcony. 

Kara follows the CEO out into the Catco fray. At one moment Kara glances down and watches Lena’s butt sway in her dress. She catches herself quickly and looks back up. 

Kara and Lena enter the space and gain everyone’s attention. 

“Pour the champagne and let’s toast to Kara.”

The party keeps going as one by one people come up to congratulate Kara and wish her well. The whole time Lena stays by her side. Clearly both women aren’t wasting any time apart.

Lena guides Kara around the room with a hand gently on her arm. Kara has never been this successful at navigating a room with this much attention on her. Having a person by your side, a companion who has your back, makes everything easier.

Kara watches as Lena dazzles her coworkers with funny stories. Watches as Lena guides the direction of conversation to remain upbeat. Often Lena finds easy ways out of conversations that last too long. She helps Kara avoid pointed questions about what she will be doing in Poland. Kara can’t keep her eyes off of Lena. 

On the other hand Lena worries she’s overstepping her bounds with Kara. She doesn’t want Kara thinking she’s forcing her to talk or move anywhere. Lena is surprised that it feels so natural to be next to Kara at an event. She hopes Kara is feeling the same.

“Miss Luthor.” Her assistant Daniel grabs her attention. “You have a call from L-Corp. It’s about the Russell and Hines portfolio.”

Lena struggles to remember why this client is so important. Recently, Lena feels so detached from the offices. Everything about the day to day working of Catco and L-Corp seem so trivial now. 

Lena’s angry that this is coming up in the middle of Kara’s party. To be frank she hasn’t been the greatest CEO in the past couple of weeks. Helping Sam, saving the world, finding out her best friend is Supergirl...it makes her life as an entrepreneur seem dull. 

Lena finally remembers the client. If she doesn’t take this call and losses this case, her investors will be furious.

She looks back and forth between Daniel and Kara. Finally Kara leans in and whispers, “It’s ok, Lena.”

“I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

“You go it.”

Lena dashes away into her office. Kara watches wistfully for a second before she’s whisked into the next conversation, immediately feeling the absence of Lena.

Later as the last pieces of cake are being eaten, Kara says goodbye to the remaining stragglers. Lena’s been on the phone for almost an hour and doesn’t look too pleased. 

Kara glances at the clock on the wall, almost two. She needs to be heading to the DEO for Supergirl’s farewell. She turns to Lena’s assistant. 

“Any sign she’ll be done soon?”

“It’s not looking good.”

Kara bites at her lip, she goes over to the glass doors and gently taps.

Lena’s eyes fly up from her paperwork. She looks at Kara, then slightly behind her to see the employees have cleared out and gotten back to work. She looks back down and rubs her brow. Her hands fiddle with the phone that is on speaker.

She waves Kara in. 

As soon as she steps in she can hear multiple voices coming through the phone. Lena walks over to Kara and looks up at her. 

“I don’t know how much longer I’ll be.” Kara reaches down and grabs Lena’s hand. Lena starts tearing up in frustration.

“Oh, ok,” Kara looks at Lena with all sincerity, “thank you for the party. I’ll um...I guess-”

“We are not saying bye like this.” Lena’s face fills with intensity, mixed with a fear that Kara was going to leave. Kara looks overwhelmed too.

“I don’t know what to do.”

“Just-,” Lena hears her name coming from the speaker phone. Someone asked her a question. She holds Kara’s hand tight, worried that if she lets go, Kara will vanish.

Lena pulls her across the room and over to the desk. 

“I’m sorry everybody but I sincerely apologise. I have to step off the line.” She hangs up before she can hear a response.

“Lena, you didn’t have to-”

“Yes I did.” Lena says quietly with her finger still on the ‘end’ button. “This can’t be it.”

The room is still and quiet. Lena looks out the glass doors into the office. No privacy from all the Catco employees back at work. Both of them stand awkwardly next to each other. 

“Come on.” Lena says as she leads Kara once again. They step onto her elevator and Lena pushes the up button. Kara’s brow pinches. 

“Where-”

“I just...need a minute alone with you.”

“Me too.”

They both realize they are still holding hands, but neither let go. 

They reach the top floor and walk up a flight of service stairs. Lena opens a door and they are all of a sudden on the roof of Catco. Kara stops and takes in the sky. Lena walks further into the center of the roof. She stops and crosses her arms. 

Kara follows her and stops just to the side of Lena. She watches her closely and places a hand on Lena’s lower back.

“I met Supergirl on a helicopter pad,” Lena says wistfully. Kara looks down at the giant letter ‘H’ on the floor and smiles. Lena points off into the distance.

“That one.”

Kara and Lena look towards the L-Corp building a couple blocks away, Kara remembering the first time she saved Lena. They remain silent. Kara slowly walks around till she faces Lena.

Lena looks into Kara’s eyes.

“I’m sorry my mother hurt you.”

Kara looks surprised. This apology seems to come from nowhere.

“I kept thinking about that over and over last night after you left. I’m so sorry my family has hurt you. I didn’t know, or I would have-”

“Stop Lena. You don’t have to apologize for any of the things your family has done. Ever.”

Lena quickly nods her head and looks away again. The breeze picks up around them. 

Kara looks around and then grabs Lena’s hand flipping it to look at her watch. She has to go. 

“Come with me to the DEO.”

“I don’t think so Kara.”

“Why not?”

Lena breathes in and holds her breath for a second. She let’s it out, squinting from the sunset.

“Have your goodbye with the DEO. Those are your people and they deserve to have you.”

Kara looks back and forth into Lena’s eyes. She is none to pleased with the answer. 

“But you’re like... part of the team now.”

Lena holds Kara’s cheek and smiles.

“Have fun Kara.”

Kara knows there is no way to convince Lena otherwise, now that she has her mind made up. 

Kara shakes her head, “I don’t like this.”

Kara bows her head and tugs at her jacket sleeves. “I knew leaving and saying goodbye was going to be tough…” She takes a moment, “Lena...I had no idea...no idea saying goodbye to yo-”

She can’t finish her thought as tears quietly form in her eyes. Lena looks at Kara as if she’s her world. 

Lena longs for Kara to smile again and hates seeing her...friend covered in dismay. Friend, that word doesn’t seem like enough anymore. They’re more than friends. They’re...what?

Lena remembers Kara holding her in her arms. She remembers glancing at Kara’s lips last night. Feeling this need to be intimately closer to Kara. Last night those thoughts surprised her. Right now, she welcomes these thoughts, as if she’s always felt them.

Lena makes a decision. 

“Kara last night, I wanted…” Lena stops, scared to say the truth. Kara is leaving so there’s no point putting new baggage on top of her. In fact Lena feels it’s almost selfish of her.

At the same time, Kara proved last night that secrets don’t help. Lena needs to be honest with her and trust Kara with her truth.

“Kara, for the first time ever I felt...ehm...this need to ki-”

“I wanted to kiss you too.”

Both women lose their breath and stare at each other in amazement. They sigh in relief almost laughing.

“Thank God, I thought I was going crazy I didn’t understand it,” Lena quickly gets out as she puts a hand to her forehead.

“I was up all night.”

“Me too.” 

“I was in a full panic on my way to Catco. And then when you weren’t there-”

Joyous relief washes over the two women as they both shuffle around looking at each other. They slowly step closer and Lena softly takes Kara’s hand in hers. They smile at one another, until Lena freezes up.

“I feel guilty about James.”

“I know. Me too.”

Lena’s brows furrow as she rubs her thumb over the back of Kara’s hand.

“Things haven’t been clicking right with James. It doesn’t feel right anymore.”

Kara stays quiet and lets Lena figure out her thoughts. Kara would never force Lena to do anything she’s uncomfortable with. 

Both women understand that this is all new. Maybe it doesn’t mean anything, or maybe it means everything. All they know is that they don’t have time to figure it out.

Lena rubs her face. “Maybe it was just an emotional night. A lot of things happened and I was a mess, you were a mess. Maybe it was just in that moment.”

“I don’t believe that.”

Lena closes her eyes. “Neither do I.”

Kara looks off, over the city.

“I think I’ve been feeling different... towards you for awhile now. I think last night it finally clicked in my head.”

Lena smiles and it overtakes both of them.

“Me too.”

Kara blows out a big breath, Lena can feel a slight chill. Kara shuffles a couple steps back from Lena not making eye contact. 

Kara whispers, “You mean the world to me.”

Lena quickly wipes a few loose tears away. 

“Goodbye, Darling.”

Kara’s tears start to fall at Lena’s words. She nods her head in silent agreement that neither can act on these new feelings. Not yet.

“I’ll be back.”

The corner of Lena’s lips rise in a small smile. “Have the time of your life.”

Kara waves her hand then bends her knees and lifts up into the air. 

Kara’s gone. 

A second later Kara’s clothing falls to Lena’s feet.

“For the love of...Kara!”

Lena smiles adoringly as she watches the blue and red blur fly away.

\----

“Miss Luthor?”

Lena looks up from her desk and focuses on Daniel. He is holding a brown box filled with office supplies, photos, and a plant. 

“Facilities had me pack up Miss Danvers desk so they can free up space for the temp.”

Lena looks at the box in his hands. She steps around the desk and walks over to grab it.

“Thank you Daniel. I’ll hold on to it for now.”

“Alright Miss Luthor. Will you need anything else?”

“No that’s fine, thank you.”

Daniel leaves her office and packs up for the night. Lena sets the box down on one of the couches.

It’s late and everyone has left the office. Lena slowly walks over to Kara’s box and sits next to it, eyeing it from the side. She looks in and sees a photo of Kara, Alex, and their mother and father. She smiles and wipes off some dust that’s on the frame.

She sees something glittery out of the corner of her eye. She looks down and sees a pencil. Picking it up Lena realises it’s a children’s glitter pencil and it’s covered in the supergirl crest. Lena smirks, but it quickly falls away.

She stares off into nothing as she grips the pencil harder. 

She taps it on her leg. 

Lena picks up her cell phone and makes a call.

“Hi James,” Lena says quietly. “I think we need to talk.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the last chapter, I got my timeline confused with Eve Teschmacher. I thought she left to work with Lena before Kara's farewell, but it was really after. That's why I thought I had to create Daniel the new assistant. My apologies.
> 
> This chapter takes place in 3x22 "Make it Reign" right after the three Kryptonian priestesses attack and leave the DEO.
> 
> I think this will be the last chapter, unless another scene idea pops up from the Season 3 finale. Thanks!

“Poor Winn,” Alex says looking over the railing of the DEO. Winn was helping pick up the rubble.

Alex just finished directing the DEO on handling the death of Demos. Kara is impressed with Alex’s abilities to remain calm and ground the team after such an event. It was a scary morning that finalized with a horrible reality.

Kara stands next to her sister and watches as the DEO tries to put itself back together from the three kryptonians attack. 

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Alex sighs out as she turns and pulls Kara into a fierce hug. “We wouldn’t have survived this without you.”

“I’m glad we’re here too.” Kara grabs Alex’s head and pulls her even closer, if possible. Out of the corner of her eye down below she sees Mon-El helping show Alura around.

Oh, Mon-El.

\----

Kara stands in the Argo garden deep in thought, feeling a weight on her shoulders. She stares at Mon-El who just professed his feelings. 

For the first time Kara feels free of her sorrow that she carried when it came to Mon-El. She looks at him, his face is filled with worry about bringing his love for her, to her attention. She can’t fault him for being honest, but she does feel detached and doesn’t know how to tell him. 

This declaration feels all too familiar. Kara lets go of her thoughts and falls into a memory from about a week ago.

All of a sudden instead of Mon-El she sees Lena. Remembers her on the rooftop of Catco where they became truly honest with each other. The love she has for Lena, the power and knowledge she gained knowing Lena felt the same.

She reaches a hand out to touch Lena. When she makes contact she blinks to find Mon-El staring back at her.

Being with Mon-El taught her so much about herself and what a true successful relationship should look like. She knows she can never have that with him. 

But Lena is back on earth...

She doesn’t have time to process her thoughts before the two of them are being attacked by a warped Kelex.

\----

Kara and Alex release from their hug. 

“Alright, I should go check on Sam,” Alex says walking over to the medical bay where Sam and Ruby are. Kara watches her go and looks back over the railing. She can’t believe it, but it feels so good to be home. It feels good to be back on Earth with its yellow sun. 

She watches her Mother in the control room with Mon-El meeting some of the DEO team. If only her mom could stay here.

“I need to call Lena,” Alex says rushing back, “Sam is not well. We’re running out of time.” She starts dialing Lena’s number. 

“Um,” Kara’s heart begins to race. She’s only been back about an hour and this is the first time she hears Lena’s name and her anxiety suddenly skyrockets.

So much has happened since she saw Lena last. Does she still feel the same? Will Lena feel regret? After time away, does she hate her? She had no idea she would be seeing Lena again so soon. 

“Lena,” Alex says into her phone, “well things could be better.”

Kara feels paralyzed. She debates on whether to zone in on the conversation to hear Lena’s voice but decides not to since her heart is already pounding.

“We were just under attack here at the DEO. Basically we have three kryptonian priestesses who caught us off guard. They attacked us and we lost some good people,” Alex grows quiet at the end. She nods her head and looks up at Kara. 

“Yeah I’m okay. Sam and Ruby are ok...well Sam...that’s why I’m calling. She’s taking a turn for the worse. I don’t know how much longer we have. Do you have any good news?”

Kara looks on as Alex bites her lips in worry. With a hand on her hip, Alex begins to pace. Kara knows Lena will be able to crack it but just like with everything in Kara’s life right now, it seems like they’re running out of time. 

All of a sudden Alex looks up at Kara and says, “Yeah, well luckily we had some help drop in at the last second-”

Kara begins to frantically wave at Alex and begins to shake her head no. Alex is utterly confused and doesn’t understand what Kara’s going on about. Kara tries batting the phone out of Alex’s hand.

“What the hell-”

“Alex don’t tell her I’m here,” Kara whispers pleadingly.

Alex mouths out ‘Why?’ Kara’s eyes just widen and she motions for Alex to hang up the phone. 

“Yeah Lena, I’m still here,” Alex turns her attention back on her conversation. She looks over in bewilderment at Kara as she continues, “yeah, we’ll keep holding on over here...just let me know?”

Alex waits for Lena’s reply. “Okay, bye Lena.” She nods her head in finality and hangs up the phone, “What the hell was that all about?”

Kara who has barely moved since trying to swipe Alex’s phone away just shrugs her shoulders and looks away.

“Nope. No way Kara...explain,” Alex says folding her arms and hitting Kara with an intense stare. Kara keeps her mouth shuts and shakes her head. Alex squints her eyes just a little more.

“Ugh...fine...come with me.” Kara leads them into the conference room to talk. Alex steps inside and Kara turns to close the door. As soon as the door latches Kara whips around. She takes a deep breath in.

“So when Lena came over that night before i left-”

“When you revealed Supergirl?”

“Yeah...Well other things sort of happened too….that I failed to mention before.”

“What things?”

Kara looks down cause she can’t bare to look at Alex as she unloads.

“Lena...Well, her and I… Ok Alex. This stays between you and me.”

“Of course Kara.” Alex looks at her like she’s an idiot for thinking she would tell anyone, one of Kara’s secrets.

“That night something clicked and suddenly my whole relationship with Lena made sense. When I told her I was Supergirl, everything felt right.” Kara looks off and gestures away. “She completely understood where I was coming from and I felt so... safe.”

Alex slowly takes a seat in one of the black chairs and leans back and watches Kara fumble. 

“When I dropped her off at her home that night...we had this moment. Everything felt so... intimate.”

At this Alex’s eyes lock with Kara as Kara finally looks up at her.

Alex blows out a breath, “Like, romantically intimate?”

Kara nods slowly and grabs her cape on either side of her and starts to fiddle with the edges. Alex waits for Kara to find her words.

“Yeah, it’s like... I was looking at her and she’s just this person, who I trust completely, just standing there looking at me and it all of a sudden made sense. Lena means so much to me. I like her...a lot.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, wow,” She flips her cape back and it flutters around her. “The next day, at my Catco farewell...we said goodbye on the roof.”

Alex’s eyebrows raise and a coy smile takes over. “Romantic.”

“Yeah,” Kara now starts to fiddle with her gold belt which moves her skirt around. “We both sort of...confessed that we felt this romantic connection.”

“Wait a minute,” Alex sits up straight, “Lena feels the same way?”

“Yep...well she did. I don’t know how she feels now.”

“It hasn’t been too long Kara…” Alex says with her hand up brushing her hair behind her ear.

“I know, but so much is happening around us, you know? Also what if she’s flipped to being angry with me about Supergirl.”

“She’s been here everyday working diligently with us, I haven’t gotten the sense she’s terribly upset with you Kara.”

“Yeah but what if she has doubts?”  
Alex shrugs and Kara looks away. After a minute of Alex regarding her sister, “Did you kiss?”

“What? No!...No we couldn’t. It wouldn’t have been right. The only thing we did was admit to each other that we suddenly felt this connection. A pull, stronger than anything I’ve ever felt.” Kara stands still looking down at Alex. 

Alex reaches for Kara’s hand, when a thought pops up in her head.

“Oh my god. It makes so much sense!” Alex says looking excitingly up at Kara.

“What does?” Kara asks as her crinkle appears. 

“Winn and I went out for drinks the night after you left...basically to wallow,” Kara smiles at her sister and squeezes her hand. “That night James called Winn and said Lena broke up with him.”

Kara completely stills. She can feel her pulse rushing and suddenly she feels grounded for the first time in days.

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, it sounded like James saw it coming. Winn said he didn’t sound too surprised. Said it was for the best with everything going on.”

Kara can’t believe her ears. Lena was available. This made Kara’s whole face flush. Kara was in her own little world for a minute just trying to process all of this new information. Alex stands and pulls Kara into a hug.

“Thank you for telling me Kara.” Alex leans back from the hug and pats Kara on both her shoulders. “I am so proud of you.”

“Thanks Alex.” Kara feels light as a feather. For a brief second she feels almost guilty for feeling this much joy in the midst of so much panic and destruction. Then she remembers if you don’t find, seek, and experience happiness then what are they fighting for. 

Kara lunges back in for another Danvers hug. The sisters squeeze each other with all their might. Kara starts to well up.

They break their hug and Alex smirks at Kara, “You are loved.”

Kara’s smile blinds the room with its radiance.

“Alright, I need to check Sam’s vitals. Hopefully a certain someone,” Alex winks at Kara, “will call soon with some good news.”

“Yeah,” Kara laughs through her happy tears. Alex leaves through the doors and turns around through the glass and gives Kara two thumbs up.

\----

Kara thinks it would be a great idea to teach her mother how to fly. When the three Kryptonians decide to show their faces again, Kara wants her mother to be able to help them and protect herself. They first start in the training room just to get their bearings. 

Alura takes to flight like a charm. The mother and daughter duo spend time training on lifting off and flying around the room. Neither could imagine a better way to get to know one another again after all these years. Soon enough the two women decide to try their luck and have a quick fly outside. They take to the sky and fly with one another. 

Kara never knew she could feel this full of happiness. Her mother was with her flying through National City. For just a second Kara cancels out the world and enjoys this brief moment with her mother. Alura is flying like a pro and Kara couldn’t be prouder. 

The two Kryptonians decide to head back to the DEO to check in with the team. Kara leads her mother back to the shining building and they slip through the balcony window, her mother staying close right behind. 

Kara lands with a graceful toe to the floor and looks back to see her mother land and skid a few feet. Alura thankfully is able to keep upright by taking a few running steps to keep her balance. 

Kara thrusts her arm out to catch her mother, “Woah, easy on the landing.”

Alura laughs as she rights herself and brushes her hair back.

“Now that, was an adventure.”

The two woman stand in the afternoon sun radiantly. They turn to head into the DEO and down to the control room. 

“Kara?”

Stopping short, Kara lifts her eyes to find none other than Lena Luthor in the middle of the DEO.

\----

Lena leaves L-Corp and races to the DEO. She called Alex as she left the building letting her know that she was on her way with hopefully a cure and plan. 

She taps her toe in frustration as the security officers downstairs at the DEO take their time checking Lena in. 

She whirls past the guards once they give her clearance. She needs to get a building badge she thinks to herself making a mental note to inquire with Alex. She leans her head back against the cool metal of the elevator as it takes her up to the control floor. 

Being back here has been interesting. In Kara’ absence Lena has been at the DEO a couple days now working with Alex and Ruby on figuring out a solution for Sam. Since being back in the government building after finding out about Kara, the DEO has developed a warmer tone for her.

Knowing that Kara is here day in and day out makes it feel more friendly and less sterile. She started to see the DEO in a new light. She also feels more grounded because she has a purpose here and knows she can do so much to help. Especially if it means keeping Kara and now Sam safe.

She gets off on the familiar floor and proceeds down the hallway and towards the back staircase that will lead her up to the medical wing where Sam and Alex are stationed. 

As she steps into the main foyer she watches in amusement as a woman stumbles through the window and runs into…

“Kara?” she whispers out in shock as the sweetest woman she’s ever met stands in all her sunlit glory at the top of the stairs.

She sees Kara whip her head up in a flash.

She’s beautiful. 

Lena thickly swallows as her mouth goes dry seeing the woman she’s grown to love standing before her. 

Kara is completely frozen as she takes in Lena. Lena who stands in the sunlight, pale skin illuminated against her dark features. It knocks the wind out of her. If Kara was second guessing her thoughts regarding Lena before...that all flew out the window by just one glance.

Both women don’t make any move towards each other. They stay frozen just raking in the moment of seeing each other sooner than either of them dreamed. 

Alura is the one who finally breaks the moment. She looks back at Kara who remains at the top step frozen in place. She steps back up and holds onto Kara’s arm.

“Kara, is everything alright.”

Kara slowly blinks and finally looks away from Lena’s piercing eyes. 

“Um, yeh...yeah,” Kara shakes her head and an enormous smile slowly forms onto her face. She reaches out and grabs her mother’s hand and starts to pull her quickly down the steps.

“Mom, I need you to meet someone. Someone incredible,” Kara says with such assuredness that Alura can only smile in amazement. 

“Of course.”

Kara points down the steps at Lena who still hasn’t moved. Kara gives a shy wave to Lena who looks back at her and puts a hand slowly up and awkwardly moves her fingers back and forth. 

Lena sees Kara grab the woman’s hand leading them towards her. Lena looks over the brunette in the burgundy ensemble. She finally makes out the House of El insignia on her chest and looks up sharply to the woman’s face. Holy shit it’s Kara’s mother. 

Lena tries to straighten out her blue dress as best she can. She fumbles with her phone in her hand wishing she had a pocket to put it in. She quickly tries to get a hold of herself and calm her racing heart and decides to rest one hand on a hip as she rubs her ponytail making sure it looks ok. 

Kara’s out of breath when she reaches Lena. She starts to go for a hug but quickly reassess her location and thinks that her bear hug might be inappropriate in the middle of the DEO. So she stops and just takes Lena in. 

Lena for her part can’t look away from Kara in wonderment. She had been trying to keep her newly understood feelings for Kara down recently as to try and keep a sane head, but the second she saw her, all her feelings came roaring back in a flood of happiness. 

She thought the next time she’d see Kara would be a year at the earliest. Now all of a sudden after less than a week she’s back and Lena thinks she looks better than ever. 

Kara can’t decide on what to say and just comes out with a meek, “Hey.”

Lena blushes and quirks her lips up into a soft smile, “Hey.”

Kara finally remembers that she’s supposed to make an introduction. She inhales as she turns to her mother, “Mom, this is... Lena Luthor.”

Alura smiles and shakes Lena’s hand.

Kara looks over at Lena, “Lena this is Alura, my mother.”

Lena finally snaps out of her Kara phase and makes sure that she gives Alura her award winning CEO handshake. 

“It is an extreme pleasure to meet you Alura.” Lena is surprised at how emotional this is. How completely humbled and grateful she feels at getting to meet Kara’s birth mother. 

“Mom, Lena is…” Kara stops. She can’t find the words on how to describe Lena to Alura. “Lena is my best friend,” except it comes out as more of a question. Those words aren’t enough but she can’t find the right phrasing. 

Lena smiles back at Kara quizzically, inwardly laughing at the struggle she can hear plainly in Kara’s voice.

“Your daughter, is the greatest being I’ve met in my lifetime. Not only has she saved my life multiple times, she has been there for me as a mentor, a confidant and above all else, she’s the greatest friend I’ve ever had.”

Kara stands in awe at the words Lena spoke. Alura looks back and forth between the two women who do nothing but shyly smile back at one another.

“Lena, is incredibly intelligent Mom. She has also saved my life and been a rock when I needed her the most. I lov-” Kara quickly bites her tongue as Lena stands still. Kara stops and looks at Lena and hears her heartbeat. She looks back at her mother and cautiously smiles. “I love working with her.”

Alura takes note of Kara’s pause but grabs Lena’s shoulder and squeezes. 

“It’s truly amazing to know that my daughter has true friends on this planet.” Lena tares her eyes from Kara’s and watches Alura. 

“It’s an honor to meet you.” Lena whispers.

Alura takes a moment to look at her daughter and Lena. Obviously this reunion has significant meaning to both women. She glances back and forth between the two, who remain locked in a stare.

“If you’ll excuse me. Kara where may I find the restroom.”

Kara blinks away from Lena and turns towards Alura, “Right down this hallway on your left,” Kara says gesturing to the side. 

“Thank you.” 

Alura walks away and looks back to see the blinding smiles of the two women who don’t seem to have eyes for anyone else in the room. Alura beams as she leaves to let the two have a moment alone.

The hustle of the DEO goes on around Kara and Lena as they stand inching closer to one another, seemingly forgetting they’re in the middle of a warzone. 

“You’re back.” Lena says quietly to Kara as she takes in her windswept curls falling over the Supergirl suit.

“I am.” Kara quips back as she takes in all of Lena. “I like your dress.”

Lena’s cheeks turn hot red as she raises her chin and opens her mouth. “It’s new.”

Kara takes a purposeful step forward and traces the shoulder seam of her dress. Lena feels every inch of Kara’s hand as it glides down her arm. 

“You look really good,” Kara says transfixed by Lena being right in front of her.

Lena’s pulse is heavy, she knew she had feelings for Kara but to have those feelings reciprocated in such a blatant manor is...euphoric. 

Lena grabs Kara’s hand as it continues its path along her forearm. She holds Kara’s hand tight as she pulls herself even closer. They’re the same height with her heels, she notes.

“Kara, you sure know how to leave a girl wanting more. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head.”

“Same goes to you...Lena.” Kara looks down at Lena’s lips and makes a decision.

Lena is all of a sudden getting pulled down another corridor having to walk briskly to keep up with Kara’s pace. 

“Kara, what?” She watches Kara look into different rooms that are occupied. She swings around as Kara finds an empty room and pulls Lena inside, turning around and crushing their bodies together in a fierce hug.

Lena breathes in as she turns her face inward to rest against Kara’s. She brings her arms up Kara’s back and holds her shoulders in complete satisfaction. Lena hums in contentment. 

All of the small grievances that Lena felt about Supergirl being Kara that popped up in the past week vanish. Every small twinge of pain she felt when she realized Kara must have been lying or she left to go fight. All of that, all of those thoughts and moments have been forgiven as long as Kara stays here.

As Kara holds Lena, she wonders how on earth she was able to leave Lena behind. Because this feels so raw and she feels so complete. How did she think she’d be able to leave and successfully fit in on Argo without Lena? Absence has done wonders to them, but Kara doesn’t want any more.

Kara’s eyes burn with hot tears at how right Lena feels against her.

Kara wraps Lena’s shoulders tighter as she holds Lena’s head and places a kiss to her hairline, right next to Lena’s ear.

“I just wanted to hold you,” Kara whispers, “you were too far away.”

Lena slides her hands down so they’re snug around Kara’s waist under her cape.

“You have no idea, Kara,” Lena pulls back just a bit to see Kara. She wipes a happy tear off of Kara’s face and stops to hold her cheek. 

They both stare in silence and happiness at each other. Thankful for this brief moment with the other, they take pause and run their hands lazily over backs and arms wanting to ground the other into their reality. 

“I broke up with James.”

“Alex told me.”

“Oh...good,” Lena bites her lip and then her eyes widen. “Alex and Sam.”

Just like that the world comes crashing back around them. 

“I have to go find Sam, I have a new idea about what’s going on.”

Kara’s face hardens back into Supergirl. “Go, I’ll round up everybody. Thank you for working so hard on this.”

Lena looks back up into Kara’s eyes. “Of course.”

Lena places a hand on Kara’s crest as she pushes herself back and woefully turns to leave. Kara looks at the space Lena vacated.

“Kara,” Kara turns her head. “When this is all done,” Lena holds Kara’s gaze, “Let’s talk.”

Kara reaches her hand out and holds Lena’s hand, “You got it.”

“By the way, I love working with you too.” Lena winks as she turns and heads to the medical bay.

Kara’s face smiles then fills with determination. Suddenly there is much more to fight for.


End file.
